I have no regrets doing the Caddy, the 4.9 engine has plenty of power, very responsive, smooth running engine. These older Caddys NEED more weight on the back, they are too light on the rear, a gasifier on the back makes it handle better, it evens out the total car weight.
As far as wiring, I just came out of the fuse box, yes it is hard to get at, with a wire from one side of fuse connector to switch back to other side of fuse connector on fuel pump, left and right injector, worked good.
Thanks, Herb.
I have driven my Caddy occasionally over a number of years in all kinds of weather conditions and found that it generally handles very well. I suspect much of my problems with wiring the pump/ injector switches is due to my using too heavy a gauge of wire and trying to tie them together to a single switch/dimmer. I will try again with more flexible wire.
Rick
I am being released this morning from Nashville VA, I have completed stage 2 of my stem cell transplant procedure. Iām leaving Nashville this morning for home after āharvestā of Stem cells. Stage three starts June 18, thatās the biggie āimplantationā strong chemo for 6 days and then SCās back in. Iām doing good, they are treating me like a king, Iām just ready for a break and to be home so I can play with the Caddy.
Glad to hear it is all going well, Herb, you deserve some play time. Weāre all wishing you the best for āstage threeā.
Great news Herb !!!
Great news Herb. Hoping for the best for you
Wish you all the best Herb. Glad things are going well as they can but most importantly your doing well.
Looking forward to seeing you getting all of this behind you so your life can get back to normal Herb. Best of luck to you.
Gary
Hi Rick; This isnāt the place for pleasantries-- but I am so glad to see you found this sight. Havenāt heard from you since I finally got to meet you in Argos in, what- 2012?
Herb---- so glad to hear you are doing well. All of us old farts have our cross to bare. We just have to keep our heads down and out butts up a PUSH on. I havenāt touched my truck since last fall, but I am headed there right now. TomC
Best of luck, Herb, with stage 3, glad to hear that stage 2 and I assume stage 1 have gone well. I really appreciate your taking time to deal with my miniscule in comparison troubles with our shared addiction while undergoing this serious treatment.
Tom, great to hear from you, did we meet in 2012 or was it last year? How is the project going? I have the firetube with fins done along with some of the in car plumbing and wiring but much remains to be done.
Rick
When I made my last post. Started talking bout how well my Caddy handled with the added weight and it does but wasnāt what you asked about.
Iām really glad you are doing a Caddy and donāt hesitate posting here, Iām always thrilled when I see a post on this thread.
Woodgas is one of my hobbies and who doesnāt like takin bout it.
I think you would like a switch on each bank of injectors as well as fuel pump, when I change over to woodgas I cut off fuel p first and then wait till engine is running rich and then turn off injectors.
Hi Herb and Rick, Even Rickās wife has come to these gathering things ā¦ My wife is glad to be rid of me for them and she missed Ron and Rhondaās visit here as she was with the grandkids in Milwaukee that weekendā¦ Let Me / us know when you will be safe to visit and Iāll just make the trip. Iām having a bunch of blood work done next week. I have a taste ā¦ The āgolden yearsā ā¦ I hope your cells grow well but I know you wonāt be able do squat in public for a few months ā¦ May your white blood cell count get back where it belongs soon after the re-insertion ā¦ Oh, stay a LONG WAYS away from any cigarette smokers !!! ā¦ Mike
Herb,
Good for you on the stem cell harvest. Now you can enjoy a little summer before you go back.
Wes, Thanks again for the ride ā¦ The milk is actually still good but my 13 yo cat is now enjoying the last of it ā¦ Mike
Hi Mike and Herb,
Great to hear from you, sorry Elisa and I didnāt make it to Argos this year, I think she enjoys the gatherings as much as I do. My brother got his dogs innoculated for Lyme disease last week, do they have them for people, too? I would get one if they have them. I found three ticks crawling up my leg while in NC lasr month, luckily they were the big ones not the deer ticks. Seems like the tick population has exploded in the east since I was a kid, I have encountered quite a few recently even here in upstate NY and donāt remember ever seeing them while growing up.
Herb, thanks for the tip about multiple switches, it sounds like an easier and better way to go. I hope to get back on the project soon, maybe we can get together when I get the project further along and we can compare Caddys. Get well soon.
Rick
Rick, I worked surveying on an elk farm around 12 years ago. All the guys there had had a vaccine but the only problem is it was made from the variety from Lyme Connecticut. It did not work here. I got really nailed on that job. I lost my left knee hiking down a steep hill. A year and a half dragging my leg into the truck. Lots of glucosamine etc etc etc ā¦ Just be careful ā¦ Mike
It is so good to be back home again!!!
Rick tell me bout your Caddy again. You had a unit on the back, PVC ran under but some of it got knocked around, do I have that right, can you post a pic!
Hi Herb,
I was practically given the Caddy about 5 years ago by a co-worker who had tired of it. It has proven fairly reliable in gasoline mode, it always starts but I had to repair rusted out fuel and brake lines over the years. It has great acceleration and runs smoothly (when running). It has a tendency to stall coming to a stop when the gasoline level is under 5 gallons (digital fuel gauge), even after I installed a cable to control idle speed. Also the heater and AC are non-functional, and any given window may or may not go up and down at any particular time. Last fall I replaced the water pump, not an easy job. Now the gasoline tank has developed a leak near the top so I donāt fill over the 15 gallon level. As you know, access to repair these bugs is not as easy or straight forward as on an old pickup so I will probably live with these bugs. Of course, the gasoline issues will become minimal running mainly on woodgas.
A couple of years ago I had started modifying the 92 Caddy for a trailer hitch luggage rack version of the LaRosifier gasifier (downdraft with brake rotor hearth) that I had on my GMC pickup.Last year I decided to try a WK version and also decided to mount it on a small trailer that I built out of a VW Rabbit rear suspension, thereby gaining some room and carrying capacity.
I had gone with two 2" PVC lines underneath, but, like I mentioned, knocked them apart last winter driving over some ice and snow chunks. So now I think Iāll try your vacuum line approach or equivalent, seems like a more forgiving and easier to install solution. I had also modified the air intake to allow introduction of woodgas and two 4" blowers to initially pull the woodgas up to the engine, along with two vacuum gauges and lines and blower controls in a panel under the dash. I will change some of that around to implement the WK gasifier. I plan on resuming work on the gasifier in the next week or so.
It is foggy and rainy out now, not good for photography or photographers but I will post pictures soon.
Rick
Hi Rick, I put a brand new gasoline tank in my 91 olds. The little prk wrecked the sending unit in the process. When I insisted they put a new one in he threw the tank on the floor putting a big dent in it. This knocked the little plastic bowl out of it that allows you to back up a short hill and not run out of gas or when going down a steep hill. In other words I had to keep it at at least a half a tank to use the gasoline system at all. Iām glad to be done with it. Brand new tank, brand new pump, and it would suck wind. I have a very steep driveway that has to be backed out of so all gasoline flows to the front. The prk was fired and takes out his tensions on milk cows now where he belongs ā¦ Mike
PS, he wrecked one of my wifeās cars ā¦ Forgot to tighten the pulley bolts on a new water pump so the pulley fell off while she headed to a court hearing ā¦ prk !!!
Remember our Vets on Monday ā¦ !!! Be thinking of you Herb ā¦ Agent Orange !!!
Hi Mike,
I feel sorry for the cows - theyāll probably give less milk under the care of the prk. When I first got the Caddy I had to drop the tank and redo the fuel lines coming out of the sender which was much less expensive than a new sender. However, it was not a fun job and I hope by having the car run on woodgas I can sidestep the gas tank and stalling issues and avoid having to drop the tank and get into the engine control systems beyond those necessary for woodgas.
I read a little more on Lyme vaccine. The article I read said that Smith-Kline Beachum marketed a vaccine between 1998 and 2002. Evidently one had to get three shots in order to be vaccinated and then it was 78% effective. No mention of locality specificity. People started claiming serious side effects, the article said there was no scientific evidence supporting their claims but lawyers threatened a class action suit and Smith-Kline Beachum withdrew the vaccine. Vaccine for dogs is still available, the article mentioned that desperate people sometimes get vets to give them dog vaccine. No mention on how well that works. Evidently a new better human vaccine is in the works and is supposed to be available Nov. 2014. Hope it works.
Happy Memorial day,
Rick